49-579: Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is a designer who launched the company that later became Calvin Klein Inc. , in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes , watches , and jewellery . Klein was born on November 19, 1942, to an Austro-Hungarian Jewish family in the Bronx , New York City, the son of Flore ( née Stern; 1909–2006) and Leo Klein. Leo
98-569: A protégé of Baron de Gunzburg , who introduced him to the New York elite fashion scene before he had his first mainstream success with the launch of his first jeans line. He was immediately recognized for his talent after his first major showing at New York Fashion Week . He was hailed as the new Yves Saint Laurent , and was noted for his clean lines. In 1974, Klein designed the tight-fitting signature jeans that went on to gross $ 200,000 in their first week of sales. In 1998, Klein participated in
147-702: A Calvin Klein Jeans campaign that featured a fifteen-year-old Brooke Shields . Some of those advertisements were banned, including an infamous advert where Brooke asks, "D'you wanna know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing!," often misquoted as "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins." The 1995 adverts promoting Calvin Klein jeans received criticism for being " kiddie porn ". In August 2012, Lululemon Athletica filed suit against Calvin Klein and supplier G-III Apparel Group for infringement of three Lululemon design patents for yoga pants . The lawsuit
196-661: A buying trip in Italy. She later became a well-known socialite photographer. After separating in 1996, they divorced in April 2006. In the early 2010s, Klein dated gay ex-porn star Nicholas Gruber, who is 47 years younger than him. For many years, Klein owned a home in Fire Island Pines, New York on Fire Island . He hosted friends such as artist Andy Warhol , Studio 54 owner Steve Rubell , Fashion designer Chester Weinberg , and media mogul David Geffen . Although he sold
245-594: A celebrity reading of "The Emperor's New Clothes," for The Starbright Foundation to benefit ill children. Klein is a supporter of the U.S. Democratic Party , having given over $ 250,000 to candidates and PACs since 1980. Klein married Jayne Centre, a textile designer, in 1964. They have a daughter, television producer Marci Klein , who is best known for her work on NBC's Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock . The couple divorced in 1974. In September 1986, Klein married his assistant Kelly Rector in Rome while they were on
294-687: A dinner at the Supreme Court of the United States , which four of the justices attended. Newly inducted academy members who spoke at the meeting included then- United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Nobel laureates Roger Tsien and Adam Riess . In 2012, Ray Dalio received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein , during
343-782: A national board of governors, but subsequent honorees have been selected by the Golden Plate Awards Council, which consists of Academy awardees. At the 13th annual summit, held in June 1974 in Salt Lake City , Academy member Leon Jaworski , the Special Prosecutor overseeing the Watergate investigations at the time, said in his keynote address that he expected to win a Supreme Court case to get subpoenaed tapes from President Richard Nixon . Among
392-739: A network of celebrities, some of whom serve as brand ambassadors . Their brand ambassadors, include: Kendall Jenner , Jennie , Hailey and Justin Bieber , Disha Patani , HoYeon Jung , Bella Hadid , Kaia Gerber , Jung Kook and Mingyu . Calvin Klein has worked with numerous models on advertising and social media campaigns, including: Adwoa Aboah , Jourdan Dunn , Ashley Graham , Imaan Hammam , Karlie Kloss , Simon Nessman , Sean O'Pry , Emily Ratajkowski , Lucky Blue Smith , Liu Wen , Jung Kook and Mingyu . Many female football stars like Alex Morgan , Chloe Kelly , and Mary Fowler advertised nothing but their underwear. In
441-699: Is made for plus sizes. In 2020, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute accused at least 82 major brands, including Calvin Klein, of being connected to forced Uyghur labor in Xinjiang . Research of the social democratic party in the European Parliament , the Sheffield Hallam University and further Groups accuses Calvin Klein in 2023 of using Uyghur forced labour camps provided by
490-585: Is produced by Van Heusen. In a 2010 report, PVH, which manages the ready-to-wear activities, had estimated sales of over $ 5 billion for Calvin Klein products. In February 2013, Warnaco Group was acquired by PVH for US$ 2.8 billion , which united Calvin Klein formal, underwear, jeans and sportswear lines. In 2020, PVH announced that as part of their animal welfare policy, the company does not use exotic skins and would be banning their use in Calvin Klein collections when "our annual update of that policy
539-509: Is released." The most visible brand names in the Calvin Klein portfolio include: For details, see Current brands and licenses . Calvin Klein has various lines of perfumes and colognes, including Obsession, CK Be, and Eternity. Until May 2005, their perfumes and the corresponding fragrance lines were maintained by Calvin Klein Cosmetics Company (CKCC), a Unilever company. Cosmetics giant Coty, Inc. of New York bought
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#1732781178954588-709: The Sunrise Manufacture Group Co. for production. Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement , colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement , is a nonprofit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest-achieving people in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet one another. The academy also brings together the leaders with promising graduate students for mentorship . It hosts an International Achievement Summit, which ends with an awards ceremony, during which new members are inducted into
637-401: The 1980s, specializes in mass-market ready-to-wear clothing for all genders and age groups as well as leather products, lifestyle accessories and shoes, home furnishings, perfume /cosmetics, eyewear, jewelry and watches in the mid-price segment. Its high-end runway fashion division, which represented the top level of the various Calvin Klein sub-brands, was discontinued in 2019. The company
686-696: The 1990 summit in Chicago, for example, student delegates "rubbed shoulders" with Ronald Reagan , Maya Angelou and Michael Jordan , and in 1995, students met with inductees including George H. W. Bush , Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Lady Bird Johnson , Robin Williams , Mike Krzyzewski and Rosa Parks . Academy members and summit attendees have also included Jimmy Carter , Colin Powell , Maya Lin , Barbra Streisand , Mikhail Gorbachev , Steven Spielberg , and George Lucas . In 2005, The Washington Post called
735-680: The Calvin Klein brand, including sales by the label's licensees, amounted to US$ 9.3 billion in 2022. Calvin Klein was one of several design leaders raised in the Jewish community in the Bronx, along with Robert Denning and Ralph Lauren . He became a protégé of Baron de Gunzburg . In 1968, Klein founded Calvin Klein Limited, a coat shop in the York Hotel in New York City, with $ 10,000. The first Calvin Klein collection
784-478: The Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation donated $ 9 million to the academy. The annual summit is attended by graduate students and young innovators from the U.S. and overseas, like Sergey Brin and Larry Page , computer science graduate students who later founded Google . The summits were originally attended by high school students chosen for their academic achievement and extracurricular activities. Preceding
833-616: The US, including Macy's , Lord & Taylor , Dillard's , and Nordstrom , as well as many small independent stores carry the ck, white label and/or Jeans collections. Some high-end department stores, such as Bergdorf Goodman , Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus also carry the Calvin Klein Collection . Notable retailers in the UK offering Calvin Klein include stores such as John Lewis , Debenhams and KJ Beckett . In Australia,
882-1228: The US, that sell the white label sportswear and sometimes the Calvin Klein white label at reduced prices but do not carry the Collection lines. Calvin Klein Jeans stores exist around the globe. Among many other countries in the UK , Germany , Greece , Russia , Brazil , México , Colombia , Croatia , Egypt , Turkey , Chile , Argentina , India , the Philippines , Australia and New Zealand . They also offer franchise and opened in Cali, Colombia last year. Signature Calvin Klein Underwear boutiques can be found in Ljubljana , Buenos Aires , Bogotá , Cardiff (as of April 2011), Medellín , Mexico City , Edinburgh , Glasgow , Melbourne , Hong Kong , London , Manchester , Manila , New York City , Shanghai , Singapore , Frankfurt am Main , Munich , Toronto , Hatfield , and Burnaby, B.C. ( Metro Vancouver ). The major department stores in
931-493: The academy at the event included boxer Muhammad Ali , filmmaker Steven Spielberg , Nobel Prize laureate Isidor Isaac Rabi , opera singer Leontyne Price , and country singer Loretta Lynn , the first country music artist ever admitted into the academy. The 2002 summit was held in Dublin , and was hosted by then-Taoiseach (prime minister) and inductee Bertie Ahern . Former President Bill Clinton held private talks during
980-499: The academy. Founded in 1961 by Sports Illustrated and LIFE magazine photographer Brian Reynolds , the Academy of Achievement recognizes high achievers in public service, business, science and exploration, sports, and the arts. Reynolds established the academy after realizing that the famous people he photographed from different fields did not usually get to meet one another. A 1989 San Francisco Chronicle article called
1029-558: The appointment of Raf Simons as Chief Creative Officer of the brand, overseeing all aspects of design, global market and communications, and visual creative services. Simons assumed the creative strategy of the Calvin Klein brand globally across the company's ready to wear, bridge, sportswear, jeans, underwear and home lines. Pieter Mulier was also announced as Creative Director, reporting directly to Simons and responsible for executing his creative and design vision for men's and women's ready to wear, bridge and better apparel and accessories. It
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#17327811789541078-487: The awardees at the summit were actor James Stewart , professional athlete John Havlicek , and Nobel Laureate chemist Paul Flory . The 25th annual American Academy of Achievement Summit took place in 1986 in Washington, D.C. The ceremony was addressed by former inductees Chuck Yeager and Erma Bombeck , and was attended by a group of 390 high school graduates assembled from across the U.S. New members admitted to
1127-521: The awards dinner are three days of panels, presentations and informal dialogues between the students and inductees. Many inductees return multiple years to participate in the panels, programming and networking. On September 9, 1961, the academy hosted its first International Achievement Summit. Held in Monterey, California , it included a "Banquet of the Golden Plate" award ceremony , named for
1176-474: The back pocket. Klein's design assistant at the time, Jeffrey Banks , has claimed credit for the logo garments, stating that he had the logo from a press folder silkscreened onto the sleeve of a brown T-shirt as a present for Klein. The gift was assumed by Schwartz to be part of the upcoming line, and similar logo shirts formed the uniform for the front-of-house staff at Klein's next catwalk show, leading to buyer demand. The American market of men's underwear
1225-415: The company signed licenses for cosmetics, jeans, and menswear, Klein's annual retail volume was estimated at $ 100 million (equivalent to $ 503 million in 2024). In 1978, Klein claimed sales of 200,000 pairs of his famous jeans the first week they were on the market. By 1981, Fortune figured Klein's annual income at $ 8.5 million. In the mid-1970s, he had created a designer-jeans craze by putting his name on
1274-528: The company, and had taken the director position in 2003. Italo Zucchelli , a former Jil Sander and Romeo Gigli designer, had collaborated with Calvin Klein for six seasons before he became head designer and Men's Creative Director of the Calvin Klein Collection menswear line in spring 2004. In April 2016, it was announced that Francisco Costa and Italo Zucchelli would be leaving the company. In August 2016, Calvin Klein, Inc. announced
1323-578: The dominant retailer is Myer . Calvin Klein products are also found online with particular internet focus on selling Calvin Klein underwear and fragrance. In Europe, Calvin Klein is predominantly known for its underwear, accessories and perhaps the Collection business, rather than for the medium-priced sportswear lines which are available at select high-end retail stores. In Asia, there are also signature ck Calvin Klein stores that carry diffusion line, aka grey label including womenswear, menswear, accessories. In 1980, Richard Avedon photographed and directed
1372-689: The first designer to receive outstanding design in men's and women's wear from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) award show. In 1983, he was placed on the International Best Dressed List . Also in 1981, 1983, and 1993, he received an award from the CFDA. In 1991, he received the American Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award. Klein made a cameo appearance in season 3, episode 15 (" The Bubble ") of
1421-526: The fragrance licensing agreements from Unilever . Like other fashion brands, Calvin Klein established a monogram: the "ck" emblem. As of 2012, the top three licensees were: When Calvin Klein was acquired by PVH Corp. in 2003, Francisco Costa was appointed the Women's Creative Director of Calvin Klein Collection. Costa had already worked with Klein directly before the founder's departure from
1470-735: The gold-plate service used for special occasions by the Palace Hotel in San Francisco , which provided the service for the ceremony. Physicist Edward Teller was the keynote speaker , and warned of the United States' poor performance in the atomic arms race . Awardees at the inaugural ceremony included engineers Charles Stark Draper and Kelly Johnson , General Douglas MacArthur and film director William Wyler . Other attendees included Nobel laureate Willard Libby (Chemistry, 1960) and future Nobel laureate Luis Walter Alvarez (Physics, 1968). The first honorees were chosen by
1519-427: The greatest apparel revolutions of the century." In mid-December 2002, Calvin Klein Inc. (CKI) was sold to Phillips Van Heusen Corp (PVH), whose then CEO Bruce Klatsky was the driving force behind the deal, for about $ 400 million in cash, $ 30 million in stock as well as licensing rights and royalties linked to revenues over the following 15 years that were estimated at $ 200 to $ 300 million. PVH outbid VF Corp. ,
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1568-671: The late 1990s, the company opened elegant Calvin Klein Collection stores in Paris, Seoul, and Taipei and ultra high-end cK Calvin Klein stores in Hong Kong, Milan, and Kuwait City. As of today, all stores are closed. Out of the two Calvin Klein Collection stores that existed in the US, the Dallas location in Highland Park Village which had been open for 20 years was closed in mid-2005. The only international location, in Paris,
1617-739: The maker of Lee and Wrangler jeans, which had also been interested in the jeans, underwear and swimwear business of CK that had been controlled by Warnaco Group , maker of Speedo swimwear in the US, since 1997. The deal with PVH did not include these businesses, and they remained with Warnaco. Unable to pay debts from acquisitions and licensing agreements and due to bad publicity by a later dismissed lawsuit with Calvin Klein over selling license products to retailers other than agreed upon with Calvin Klein, Warnaco had filed for chapter 11 protection in mid-2001 but eventually emerged from bankruptcy in February 2003. The transaction between Calvin Klein and PVH
1666-431: The necessary steps to protect its assets when we see attempts to mirror our products.” However, according to Chevalier's brand book Luxury Brand Management, Klein "is seldom involved in the design and the development of products bearing his name" and "all activities are subcontracted to licensees." In 2014, Klein was criticized for the designation of Myla Dalbesio in its "Perfectly Fit" which offended many women as it
1715-502: The organization "little-publicized but immensely powerful". According to William DeVries , who helped develop the first artificial heart, "It is a social network. Like a club. Now I can call Chuck Yeager up, or Philip 'Bo' Knight , and they'll return my calls, ask me out places. I promised myself I would never ask the people here for money, but I know a lot of scientists who do." Reynolds also wanted to bring together highly accomplished leaders with promising students, to inspire them. At
1764-659: The property in 1995, it is still known as "The Calvin Klein House." In 2003, Klein bought an ocean-front estate in Southampton, New York , on Long Island and demolished it to build a $ 75 million glass-and-concrete mansion. In 2015, he put his Miami Beach, Florida mansion on the market for $ 16 million. The Florida home sold for $ 12,850,000 in February 2017. In June 2015, Klein bought a mansion in Los Angeles , California , for $ 25 million. In 1974, Klein also became
1813-400: The success of its highly popular underwear and fragrance lines, as well as the ck sportswear line. During his 1990–1995 stint as Calvin Klein's head of menswear design, John Varvatos pioneered a type of men's underwear called boxer briefs , a hybrid of boxer shorts and briefs . Made famous by a series of 1992 print ads featuring Mark "Marky Mark" Wahlberg , they have been called "one of
1862-484: The summit "one of the world's most dazzling gatherings of international celebrities - Nobel Prize winners, heads of state, star athletes, titans of industry, scientists and entertainers." In 1985, Reynolds's son, Wayne Reynolds, took over the leadership, becoming the executive director of the academy. In 1999, he was selected as the board chairman . In the 1990s, Reynolds moved the organization's headquarters from Malibu, California , to Washington, D.C. In 2007,
1911-591: The summit with Irish nationalist politician John Hume that reportedly concerned the conflict in Northern Ireland as well as other international conflicts. New inductees into the academy in 2002 included Clinton, U2 lead singer Bono , and Afghan president Hamid Karzai . The 50th-anniversary American Academy of Achievement Summit was held in Washington D.C. , in October 2012, and was attended by delegates from 29 countries. The five-day event included
1960-576: The television series 30 Rock . A fictionalized version of him also appears in season 4, episode 12 (" The Pick ") of the television series Seinfeld . The name Calvin Klein was used by Marty McFly in the 1985 film Back to the Future . Calvin Klein (fashion house) Calvin Klein Inc. ( / k l aɪ n / ) is an American luxury fashion designer retail chain marketing its eponymously branded products worldwide. The company, which became famous for its designer underwear and denim lines in
2009-607: Was a line of "youthful, understated coats and dresses" featured at the New York City store Bonwit Teller . In September 1969, Klein appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine. In 1973, he received his first Coty American Fashion Critics' Award for his 74-piece womenswear collection – the youngest recipient at that time. Klein won the award again in 1974 and 1975. By 1977, annual revenues had increased to $ 30 million (equivalent to $ 151 million in 2024), and Klein had licenses for scarves, shoes, belts, furs, sunglasses, and bedsheets. Klein and Schwartz were making $ 4 million each. After
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2058-630: Was also announced that Kevin Carrigan resigned from the company for a creative role at Ralph Lauren. Simons's first collections debuted for the Fall 2017 season. In December 2016, it was announced that Amy Mellen would leave the company. In January 2017, it was announced that Clémande Burgevin Blachman would assume the role of Vice President of Design for Calvin Klein Home. In December 2018, it
2107-474: Was announced that Raf Simons had parted from Calvin Klein after only two years at the company. In November 2020, Jessica Lomax was appointed Global Head of Design, leading Calvin Klein's global design strategy and providing creative direction across all areas of the business. In May 2024, Calvin Klein appointed Veronica Leoni Creative Director of the brand's newly revived Collection line. Calvin Klein has filmed advertising and social media campaigns with
2156-1088: Was born in Boiany then in Austria-Hungary now in Ukraine and had immigrated to New York, while Flore was born in the United States to immigrants from Galicia and Bukovina , Austria-Hungary (modern day-Ukraine). Klein went to Isobel Rooney Middle School 80 (M.S.80) as a child. He attended the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan and attended New York's Fashion Institute of Technology , leaving for six months after his first year before returning to finish his degree. He received an honorary doctorate from FIT in 2003. He did his apprenticeship in 1962 at an old line cloak-and-suit manufacturer, Dan Millstein, and spent five years designing at other New York City shops. In 1968, he launched his first company with his childhood best friend, Barry K. Schwartz . He became
2205-461: Was changed – from one where most men's underwear was white, purchased in packs of three by a "wife, mother or girlfriend when they needed to be" to one where "the American male [cares] about the brand of something few ever see". Although the company almost faced bankruptcy in 1992, Calvin Klein managed to regain and increase the profitability of his empire throughout the later 1990s, mainly through
2254-1462: Was closed by PVH in March 2006. The New York store, which serves as the company's flagship store at 654 Madison Ave., permanently closed in spring 2019. Partners maintain Calvin Klein Collection stores in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai, Seoul, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Dubai, and Qatar. Specialty retail Calvin Klein stores, designed by New York architecture firm Lynch/Eisinger/Design have been opened at Lenox Square in Atlanta, Beverly Center in Los Angeles; now closed down, Cherry Creek Mall in Denver; now closed down, Natick Collection in Natick, MA; closing down on July 25, 2010, The Mall at Partridge Creek in Michigan; now closed down, Aventura Mall in Aventura, Florida, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa California. An additional eight stores also designed by Lynch/Eisinger/Design are set to open in 2008. There are also several Calvin Klein Outlet stores, mostly located within factory outlet malls in
2303-497: Was financially supported by Apax Partners Inc. , a New York private equity firm, which is said to have made a $ 250 million equity investment in PVH convertible preferred stock, as well as a $ 125 million, two-year secured note, all in exchange for seats on the board of PVH. Upon the acquisition of Calvin Klein, Phillips-Van Heusen announced plans of launching a new men's sportswear collection that rivals Ralph Lauren's collection. This line
2352-501: Was founded by designer Calvin Klein and his childhood friend, Barry K. Schwartz , in 1968 and was acquired by PVH Corp. for a total of $ 700 million in 2003. It is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan , New York City, and has substantial market share in retail and commercial lines around the globe. In 2013, PVH bought Warnaco Group , one of the largest Calvin Klein licensees, for US$ 2.8 billion . Global retail sales under
2401-487: Was somewhat unusual as it involved a designer seeking to assert intellectual property protection in clothing through patent rights. On November 20, 2012, Lululemon filed a notice of voluntary dismissal in the Delaware courts based upon a private settlement agreement reached between the parties that would dismiss the suit. According to a Lululemon press release, "Lululemon values its products and related IP rights and takes
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